7 Best Indie Games You Just Need To Play

Updated on March 27, 2024
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Check out the best indie games, from the dark and unique world of The Binding of Isaac to the immersive adventure of Valheim.

7 Best Indie Games You Just Need To Play

The Binding of Isaac

Developed by Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl, The Binding of Isaac is a unique mix of a randomly generated RPG shooter and a traditional RPG. The game draws inspiration from the biblical story of the same name, featuring a cartoony yet terrifying art style.

The storyline is dark. It revolves around Isaac, a small boy whose mother hears a divine command to sacrifice him. Fearing for his life, Isaac escapes to the basement, which is where the game unfolds. Players guide Isaac as he battles strange creatures, nightmares, lost siblings, and even his mother in a climactic boss fight.

The Binding of Isaac stands out as a top indie game, blurring the lines between a horror experience and a traditional RPG. Throughout the game, players collect items and treasures that transform Isaac, granting him superhuman abilities to face the myriad of enemies. This game is a must-play for its unique approach and engaging gameplay, especially if you are looking for good single-player games for PlayStation.

Valheim

Valheim quickly made waves on Twitch, with numerous popular streamers and creators praising it.

This exploration and survival game, developed by Iron Gate Studios, immerses players in a mystical Norse world filled with monsters, magic, and fearsome warriors.

Valheim stands out for its engaging crafting system, multiplayer capabilities, and a world that's procedurally generated, which means every aspect of the world is unique each time you play. This randomness adds to the game's charm, akin to how Minecraft creates its worlds.

The game supports up to 10 players in each world, allowing you to experience a Viking clan adventure with friends. Together, you can build homes, craft equipment, and construct longboats to journey across the mystical land.

Survival is a key element in Valheim, featuring an array of bosses, enemies, and creatures. The brilliance of these encounters lies in their unpredictability and randomness, creating a fresh, exciting experience with each new game. This aspect, combined with its striking aesthetics and gameplay mechanics, firmly places Valheim among the top indie games to check out.

Spelunky

Spelunky is a unique blend of roguelike and side-scrolling platformer elements, a true classic in indie gaming.

In this journey, you encounter new enemies, uncover awesome treasures, and explore constantly changing maps. What made Spelunky stand out in 2008 was its randomized level design, ensuring every playthrough is unique and exciting.

This feature is enhanced by a destructible environment and the option for local co-op play, making Spelunky continually fun and addictive.

As with the best indie games, Spelunky is as challenging as it is captivating. The enemies evolve from simple creatures like bats and snakes to formidable foes like ghosts and yetis.

Adding to the challenge, Spelunky employs a perma-death system where each death restarts the game. Although you have multiple hearts, keeping them becomes a tougher task as the game progresses, adding to Spelunky's enduring appeal.

Into The Breach

Developed by my favorite indie developer Subset Games, Into The Breach stands out with its arcade art style and killer soundtrack, blending tactical turn-based strategy with puzzles to rank among the best tactical indie games recently.

Set in the treacherous world of Into The Breach, you lead a group of mech pilots sent back in time to defeat the Vek, deadly aliens, and avert a grim future for humanity. As alien hordes spawn and attack, your mission involves defeating the invaders and protecting strategic buildings. The game's engaging backstory and striking art style echo the doomsday genre, drawing players into a detailed world where every element demands attention.

Known for its challenging gameplay, similar to Dark Souls, Into The Breach is satisfyingly rewarding when you succeed. Losing buildings might set you back, but losing all your mech troops means restarting from the beginning.

A unique feature is the ability to foresee enemy moves a turn in advance, allowing for strategic planning and evasion. Whether you're looking for a quick twenty-minute gaming session or hours of tactical engagement against monsters, Into The Breach offers a fulfilling experience.

Undertale

A remarkable example of individual creativity, Undertale was single-handedly created by Toby Fox. Known for its acclaimed soundtrack and superb game design, Undertale stands as not only one of the best indie games ever but also a cult classic.

As the game begins, you play as a young child who accidentally falls into the "Underground," a mysterious world beneath the Earth. Undertale combines a 16-bit aesthetic with traditional RPG elements, weaving in a perfect balance of comedy, character, story design, and most importantly, player choice.

Players are encouraged to approach the game in their own unique way, facing tough decisions that resonate with them personally. While Undertale features a challenging combat system, it also offers a variety of other gameplay options.

The experience in Undertale is comparable to an RPG blended with the narrative style of Telltale Games' The Walking Dead. With numerous paths to explore, each NPC you encounter can either aid or obstruct your journey. For those who pose a challenge, the game provides multiple strategies.

You can opt for combat, or alternatively, use tactics like flirting, joking, pacifying, or negotiating to navigate through tricky situations. Your choices critically shape the storyline, with a total of 93 different endings based on your decisions throughout the game.

The quest to discover the “true” ending, specifically the “True Pacifist” ending, which is the game's happiest conclusion, adds to its allure. Undertale is a testament to what passion and talent can achieve, showcasing the power of a singular, brilliant vision.

Hollow Knight

Developed by indie games developer Team Cherry, Hollow Knight stands out in the Metroidvania genre. Although the creators didn't specifically aim to make a Metroidvania game, they focused on creating an intricate game world.

Distinct from Shovel Knight, Hollow Knight features a sprawling, interconnected bug world. You play as the Hollow Knight, embarking on a quest to rid the kingdom of Hallownest of its decay and villains.

As a Metroidvania game, it offers a map with many terrains and areas, all interconnected. Exploring each location, your insectoid hero gains new abilities and encounters both allies and enemies.

The game blends awesome 2D-scrolling platforming with great combat mechanics, which are often extremely challenging.

What makes Hollow Knight unique are the beautifully hand-drawn bug world and the feel of your character, combining fast, nimble movement control for smooth map navigation, with weighty and effective attacks, adding a sense of satisfaction to each enemy encounter. Plus, it comes with one of the best gaming soundtracks ever!

Broken Age

Crafted by indie developer Double Fine Productions, Broken Age stands as a wholesome puzzle adventure game with a compelling coming-of-age story. Notably crowdfunded, the game features a surprising all-star voice cast, including the likes of Jack Black, Masasa Moyo, and Elijah Wood.

Renowned for its beautifully hand-drawn animations and art, Broken Age weaves the narratives of two teenagers, Shay and Vella, set in parallel yet distinct worlds.

Highlighting its unique journey, Broken Age's record-breaking crowdfunding campaign and intriguing development process were captured by documentary producer 2 Player Productions in collaboration with Double Fine Productions.

The resulting documentary, "Double Fine Adventure," available on Steam, provides an in-depth look into the game's three-year development journey, from concept to casting, and through to its release. This documentary is an essential watch for those interested in video game development, complementing our own article on how video games are made.

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